Holly's Notes and Condition

Chest Compression Wrap and My Chair

July 23rd - On Gina's advice, Dave helped in wrapping my chest with the special compression bandage - 50% stretch - a good, even stretch and clipped it in place with a couple of safety pins - the tape doesn't hold, especially if I'm tossing and turning while sleeping - which is what I've been doing lately, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position. After 10 minutes, of feeling me toss and turn and adjust and re-adjust and sigh in frustration, Dave suggested I might need my sleep medication. I agreed with him, at 9:10 pm - I took my sleeping medication. I had really tossed and turned all last night and I need to get some solid sleep, and so does Dave. I tried sleeping in our bed, on my back - no go. So, back out to my chair and finally, fell asleep - woke up at 6:15 am - I had slept straight through. I left the compression bandage in place, while I did my morning exercises - get those fluids moving, as opposed to congregating and congesting. Light shower, loose clothing, especially a top that I don't mind having black ink come off on and maybe I'll be interested in eating in a couple of hours - no appetite at the moment. I drank plenty of water yesterday, though - keeping hydrated. I intend to take off for the hospital a bit earlier this morning. I'm hopeful to find out what was going on yesterday with my treatment. It occurred to me that another difference with my radiation treatment from most others - is that Carla and Brian, both have to come in to the room, on each of my (4) field foci and manually re-position me and then go out and turn the beam on - that takes up more time - time maybe, that they are trying to compress, so they can maybe add another patient in need of radiation therapy. I'm going to give the 'bossy' woman radiation oncology doctor, the benefit of the doubt, for the time being, and if she doesn't introduce herself again today - I'll introduce myself to her - no sense both of us being rude. I'll need to take the copy of my blood count report from last Wed for Dr Chou's review and my file - my blood counts of last Wed, July 18th were all within normal ranges (2nd week in a row) - which really helps my cause. Psyching myself up for Dose #16 radiation this morning.

posted by Holly @ 6:56 AM